Anti was walking around the hallway deep in thought. It had been about a month now since the others had truly accepted him and him and the others noticed he had started to change for the better. For one, Anti had become more confident in himself and around his brothers. He was starting to feel less afraid they'd shove him aside once again and was starting to feel like himself finally. 

Anti had come to be more mischievous as well, pulling pranks here and there. He would joke around with Chase, hide Schneep's coffee mug once in a while, cover Jackie's mask in glitter, replace Sean's phone contact names with memes or old vine titles, stick a smilely face sticker onto Jameson's eyeglass. Mild childish things. Of course he was still sometimes unsure around the others but it had only been a month. It would take a lot longer to get completely comfortable with them on his side. 

Currently, he was stalking in Marvin's room, thinking of what prank he could pull on the magician. He was thinking about sneaking catnip into his pillow-case but he knew he'd be reprimanded for it. It would be basically like drugging him since Marvin liked to shapeshift as a cat once in a while. He had to think of something else. Wandering around his bookshelves and bottled potions, he was about to open a spell book when suddenly a hand from behind him stopped him, "Anti"

Anti screeched in sudden panic, having not heard him, "M-marvin! H-hey there. . . . buddy"

Marvin had his mask on but Anti could tell he was raising a brow in question, "What -uh. .  what are you doing in my room, might I ask, Anti? Surely not trying to pull a prank on me, hm? I heard what you did to Jackie's mask. Clever but sloppy. Maybe use glitter 'paint' next time and do his whole suit as well."

Anti smirked, "Alright, I'll try that next time. Why give me advice exactly?"

"Because Jackie broke a lot of my potions bottles that had important . . . stuff in them. Now I have to remake all of it. Little shit deserves a bit more than a sparkly face. Make him look magical."

Anti giggled before handing Marvin the book, "What's in the book that you wouldn't let me open it?"

"Spells."

"What kind of spells?"

"All sorts. Some are silly, some are joke-spells and some are just dangerous. One wrong mispronounced word, though and they could ALL be dangerous. Didn't want you saying one absent-mindedly and accidentally catching fire to something or melting your face off."

Anti had a look of fear on his face and Marvin winked at him, "It's fine. Just don't snoop again. Never know what you'll find in here."

He nodded, "Right. So you have to remake those potions, right?"

Marvin nodded, walking over to his cauldron in a corner of the room, "Yeah. It's not hard. Just takes time"

"C-can I help?" Anti was curious of how Marvin made his odd potions and a smile spread on his face when his brother nodded, "Sure. But do exactly as I tell you, alright? Every potion has to be perfect. Like a recipe for a baked good, for instance. There's a science to it."

Anti nodded and bounced on his toes a little, "Got it! What first?"

Marvin smiled a little at his excitement, "First is water. I got that covered." he said something in Latin and the cauldron filled with water at the point of his wand, "Next thing is . . . African Red Pepper. Chop it up, will you? You have better knife skills. Diced, if you will"

Anti nodded and took out his pocket knife and diced the peppers up, seeds and all perfectly on the small cutting board on Marvin's little desk, "Throw them in, please. I'll get the Mistletoe Berries and mushrooms for you to chop up as well. The berries have to be juiced and the mushrooms halved."

Anti watched as Marvin gathered the other ingredients for him to do but while he was halving the mushrooms, he saw Marvin with a strange bottle, "What's that?"

"The next ingredient. Pulverized cow liver."

Anti cringed, "W-what?"

"What? You thought all the ingredients were going to be normal?"

"What kind of potion are we making exactly?"

Marvin rolls his eyes, "NOW he asks. It's a blood-replenishing potion for Schneep's storage. He doesn't necessarily agree with potion usage but he'll use it if any injuries are life-threatening. We also need to make a lung-clearing potion and Wide-eye potion just in case someone gets a concussion. We can also make some joke potions if you want."

Anti grinned and nodded and for the next couple of hours, the worked hard on potions for Schneep's emergency storage until they got to the joke-potions. They made potions that made you hiccup constantly, gave people bad acne or diarrhea, a potion that made you laugh uncontrollably and another that turned the drinker temporarily invisible!

All in all it was a great time. Marvin complimented Anti on his knife skills, Anti asked him all sorts of questions and the two tested out a few of the joke potions- namely the invisibility and laughing ones.

"I think that's all for today" Marvin pat Anti's back, "Thanks for the help. It would have taken me  a lot longer to make them on my own."

"No problem." Anti grinned, "It was fun. Nice to be on the other side of your pranks for once, you know?"

Marvin suddenly frowned, "Yeah . . . sorry about that"

Anti merely shrugged, "It's fine. Don't worry about it."

"No, Anti. Really" Marvin placed his hand on his shoulder, "I'm sorry. I should never have done those things to you. It was awful. Spoiling your food so you couldn't eat. . . . tripping you and  . . .sending you nightmares. I'm a horrible brother and I'm so sorry. There was no reason for me to hurt you. . . especially when you never fought back. Do you dream better now?"

He nodded, "Yeah. I-I guess. I mean I still a few nightmares where I'm all alone or whatever but it's okay."

"No it's not. It bothers you. . . . Don't it?"

Anti shrugged, "But I know now that when I wake up it's just my anxiety being thrown at me. I'm not alone anymore"

Marvin gave a sweet smile, "But just in case if you do find trouble sleeping. . . just come to me and I'll give you a potion for that, alright?"

He nodded, "Alright"

The glitch sighed but suddenly hugged the magician, surprising him, "It's okay, Marvin. I forgive ya."

The two hugged for a few more moments until parting. Marvin had a mischievous glint in his eyes, "Want to test some of these joke potions on the others?"

Anti bit his lip and nodded, "Ooo! Let's give the laughing one to Schneep! He never laughs!"

"Good one! And the Hiccuping one to Chase"

"Yeah!"

It was around three in the afternoon when they decided to take the healing ones to Schneep. He would be their first 'victim'.

"Ah! Marvin" Schneep greeted him, "Anti. What brings you two to my office?"

Marvin set his box of potions on Schneep's desk, "Made you some more emergency potions. Jackie accidentally smashed all the other bottles I had. Thought I'd bring them to you instead since he never comes in here to break anything"

"Ah yes, that'd be wise."

"Anti helped remake them. He's an excellent apprentice. Amazing knife-work" Anti blushed at Marvin's compliment.

"But of course!" Schneep smiled, "Now come. I know the perfect spot for them."

Marvin followed him to a shelf in the back of the room, leaving Anti at the desk. Quickly and quietly, he uncorked a vial of their laughing concoction and poured a bit in Schneep's coffee before corking it up again and hiding the vial in his pocket. Marvin walked back over with Schneep behind him, "Anything else you two need today?"

Marvin shook his head, "Nah, we're good. But you don't look so good, Schneep. You look tired. Long day?"

"Yes, yes. But it's all fine."

"Maybe you should drink a little more coffee to pick yourself back up?" Anti suggested.

Schneep nodded, "Yes, yes. Don't want to fall asleep before dinner, ya? Chase said ve are having Take-out" he took a gulp of his coffee and the two waited in anticipation. Schneep glanced at them and suddenly realized their trickery. He put the mug down suddenly, "Vhat did you two do to my coffee?"

Anti giggled and rocked on his toes, "Nooothing~"

Marvin snorted and Schneep narrowed his eyes before giggling a little himself. He clapped a hand over his mouth, "You didn't!"

Marvin grinned like a Cheshire cat, "Perhaps"

Schneep giggled again out of his control but tried containing it before bursting into loud laughter, his face going red.

Marvin and Anti laughed as well as Schneep had tears running down his face, "You little shites!" he giggled more, "I'll . . . hahahah. . . I'll get you back for this, ya!? hehehhe!"

He tried lunging at them but Marvin and Anti bolted, "Run!"

Schneep almost grabbed them, "Vait! How long will it . . . .ahahhah! Last!?"

Marvin ran, dragging Anti with him, "It'll just be for a few more minutes!"

They could hear Schneep's insane laughing still from his office until they got downstairs, giggling to themselves.

Until they ran into Chase that is. . . .their next victim.

Chase was at the island counter table sitting on a barstool drinking a soda when the two walked in, "What you dudes doing?" he had an almost knowing look in his eyes which made the two pranksters falter.

"Nothing" Marvin said almost too quickly.

Chase grunted, "Anti? I could hear you two giggling around the corner. What you two up to?"

Anti was NOT a good liar. He tried to be but the look in Chase's eyes was one that made him guilty. And he really didn't do anything that bad! Anti bit his lip, "Nothing" he squeaked out.

Marvin closed his eyes hoping to god that Chase didn't suspect anything, "We were just laughing about a joke is all"

"Oh yeah? What was the joke?"

Marvin coughed, "Anti, why don't you tell it?"

Anti shot a look at him but quickly tried to think of one, "Uuuhh"

Chase raised a brow and took of sip of his soda, "You wouldn't be lying to me. . . would you, Anti?"

He refused to look him in the eye, "No" his voice was too high-pitched and Marvin was thinking of bailing.

"You sure?"Chase gave him a fatherly look which worked on Anti every time and everyone in the house knew it.

Marvin bailed, "I'm gonna go to my room. Got more potions to make, spells to practice. See ya later, Anti. Chase" in a light cloud of purpler smoke, he vanished to his room, leaving Anti to fend for himself against Chase.

Chase stood up and calmly walked towards Anti, crossing his arms "Well?" 

He didn't have his hat on at the moment which made him look especially like a disappointed father, making Anti practically cower. So he bolted.

"Anti! Get back here, dude!" Chase ran after him. Anti giggled as he ran for the living room and hid behind the couch. Chase burst in and couldn't see him at first, "Anti" he said in a scolding voice, "You better show yourself right now"

An 'or what?' hung in the air silently.

Chase made his way in the room and was about to round the couch when Anti slithered his way around just in time. Chase hummed, "Where oh where could that little trouble-maker have gone?"

Anti thought he had gotten away with it when suddenly Chase bounded the couch and landed on him, "Gotcha!"

Anti shrieked in laughter as Chase started tickling him, "Surrender! You know you've lost!"

"Alright!" Anti laughed under him, "I give! I give! Stop it, Chase!" he was reduced to endless giggling until Chase finally stopped and hopped off of him, pushing him on the couch. Anti limply sat back as Chase put his hands on his hips and leaned over him, "Now then. What did you two do?"

Anti grinned and guarded himself with his arms, "We put an uncontrollable laughing potion into Schneep's coffee "

Chase smiled too, "That's why you two were having such a good time together."

"Marvin said the effects should fade in a few minutes. Probably by now, actually. No harm done"

Chase raised a brow, "You still lied to me"

Anti immediately frowned, "B-but"

"It's fine. It was just a harmless prank. But next time don't lie, alright? You know I'd never be mad at you, Anti. I can take a joke. . . . unless it's harmful that is. But seeing as it was just a silly prank, I'll let you off the hook."

Anti let out a breathe he didn't know he was holding, "Thanks Chase."

Chase stood up fully and ruffled his hair, "Yeah. . . I'm never letting you anywhere near a drink of mine with my back turned, though, now."

Anti shrugged, "That's fair. Marvin and I were planning on giving you a hiccuping potion"

With that, Anti ran to his room. As soon as Chase realized what Anti just said, he tried bolting after him, "You little shite!"

As the Chase ran after Anti, Jackie had overheard the whole thing, "Serves the little glitch right." he scoffed and groaned loudly, "Can't save people looking like a fooking magical fairy" he was STILL trying to scrub out the little on his mask.

Hope you guys liked this chapter. Wanted to pause the angst just a little to give a bit bonding between characters :) Let me know what you guys thought!